HAL ROBSON-KANU, Simon Cox and Anton Ferdinand will all leave Reading when their contracts expire next month, the club have announced.
Wales international Robson-Kanu, 26, is the highest profile of 17 first team, loanees and youth team players who will not be retained by Reading going into the 2016/17 campaign.
Loan duo Michael Hector and Lucas Piazon both returned to Chelsea last week while Andrew Taylor, Matej Vydra, Alex Fernandez and Ola John will all return to their parent clubs, as expected.
As well as the first team players, a number of youth team stars will also not be extending their stay at Madejski Stadium included Iceland Under-19 international Sammi Fridjonsson.
Completing the list is Pierce Sweeney, Noor Husin, Lewis Collins, Nana Owusu, Hammad Lawal, Conor Shaughnessy and Bogdan Vastsuk.
Robson-Kanu and Cox both have lengthy histories with Reading.
Striker Cox, 29, who netted his only goal of the campaign against Middlesbrough last
month, came through Royals academy in 2005 before leaving to join Swindon Town three years later.
He was brought back to the club in August 2014 and made 60 appearances for the first team, scoring nine times.
Robson-Kanu’s departure signals the end of a 10-year association with the club.
The Wales winger broke through the ranks in 2007 and after a couple of loan spells made his Reading debut in 2009 and leaves with 30 goals in 227 appearances.
He ended a spell on the sidelines through injury with one final outing as a second half substitute in the final day defeat at Blackburn Rovers.
Ferdinand, 31, is perhaps the bigger surprise of the group of players to leave, given Royals lack of centre-backs in the squad.
After an injury-ravaged first campaign at Madejski Stadium, Ferdinand has enjoyed a run in the side this season with 24 appearances.
While a lot of youngsters are on their way out, plenty more have been offered new contracts with the club.
Defender Tennai Watson put pen-to-paper on a new deal last week while Rob Dickie and Dominic Hyam, who spent this season out on loan at Cheltenham Town and Dagenham and Redbridge respectively, have also been offered fresh terms.
Republic of Ireland Under-21 duo Shane Griffin and Sean Long have offers to stay as well as midfielder Aaron Kuhl.
Liam Kelly, Zak Jules, George Legg, Omar Richards, Harrison Bennett, Ryan East, Sam Smith, Luke Southwood, Billy Collings and Joe Tupper have all been given the opportunity to stay while deals to keep Andrija Novakovich and Lewis Ward have been penned.
